Summer Toko Week
by Life is Like a Novel
Summary: Toko week is here! Toph/Zuko. Life is Like a Novel
1. Gamble

**So this is Toko week and I finally realized it ahead of time so I get to partake. Such a great start to the summer I if you ask me. So I wrote all of the stories on the correct day but due to finals I have been unable to post them until now. I hope you enjoy!**

Over the years, Zuko's uncle had given him an endless amount of helpful advice. Some of the best advice he gave him was from a Kenny Roger's song. _You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away and know when to run. _Those words were some of the best advice that he used in his long pursuit of Toph Bei Fong, the tough little blind girl from down the road. Iroh and the Bei Fong's had been friends for years and as such the two children had grown up together. Throughout grade school, Zuko had been a sort of older brother for the younger girl. Throughout middle school, she was his best friend. Both were a bit of an outcast. Toph because of her blindness, and Zuko because of the scare that covered the majority of half of his face. He had received it in a car crash, the car had caught fire and the heat was too much as he tried to save his sister who was trapped in her car seat at the time. Because Toph couldn't see in the conventional way, she didn't mind the scar like the other students.

In high school, Zuko found himself attracted to the eighth grade girl. He knew she was still far too young and the age difference too vast, so he held his feelings to himself. He was pretty sure that his best friend, Sokka, had caught on but he knew the boy wouldn't tell anyone.

Toph's freshman year, his senior year, they had P.E together and often spent the free days kicking a soccer back and forth between the two of them. Zuko never was sure how Toph was able to locate the ball but the first (and only) time he had asked her about it she replied with a simple smirk and a harsh 'it's a secret' so he dropped the matter. It wasn't really all that important anyway.

Now, a sophomore in college, Zuko figured it would be a good time to lay his cards on the table and gamble the greatest friendship he had for something even better.

"Hey Toph," Zuko asked during their weekly smoothie at the university café.

She looked up straw still in mouth. "Yep?"

"Who are you taking to prom?" he asked casually.

"Not going. At least not this year. Snoozles asked if I wanted him to take me, but I told him no. I mean what college guy actually wants to go to a high school prom? Besides, Sugar Queen would want to get me all dressed up and I'm avoided that until I absolutely have to. So…yeah."

"Want to go to a party that night instead?"

"I thought you had finals coming up."

"University isn't all work, no play you know. Besides, I want to take you to this party. It's going to be a good one."

"You take me parties all the time. I'd rather you just be prepared for your tests."

"No Toph, you don't get it, I want to take you to party. As in you go with me…as well…as a date," He told her, preparing for her to smack him or kick him under the table.

"What are you getting at, Zu?"

"I want to date you Toph. I want you to be my girlfriend. I know you don't like labels and that's fine with me. I just want to be together."

"Alright," she said after a moment, taking a sip of her smoothie.

"Alright?" he asked, a bit hesitantly.

"Alright," she nodded with a slight uncharacteristic blush.

"Alright," Zuko nodded finishing off his drink.

"Ready?" Toph asked finishing off her own as well.

"Yeah, let's go," he nodded standing up and pushing his chair in.

They tossed their cups and Zuko wrapped his arm around her shoulder, grins on both their faces as they made their way out.

**Please, do not hesitate to tell me what you thought. It's been awhile since I've written anything for Avatar, been in a Torchwood mood for a while. **

**Love, **

**Spike. **


	2. Beach

Alright so up next is Beach. Special thanks go out to Liooness, TezTra, and Tabby for their wonderful words on the last chapter.

"**Are you not getting in?" Zuko asked coming over and squatting down next to Toph's towel so as to not get his swimsuit covered in sand. **

"**No way in hell," she told him, readjusting herself on her towel. **

"**Come on…chicken." **

"**Don't go there, Zuzu," she warned in a sing song voice, eyes still closed, a slight smirk on her face. **

"**You're getting in one way or another," Zuko whispered with an evil glint in his eye that even Azula would be proud of. **

"**Come on Toph!" Sokka called from the water. "Zuko said he's going to throw you in if you don't get in willingly."**

"**You wouldn't!" she questioned, shooting up into a sitting position her eyes wide. **

"**You care to test that?" he asked, scooting closer. **

"**Zuzu, don't!" Toph screamed as Zuko scooped her up and made his way towards the water, Toph protesting and kicking the entire time. "Put me DOWN! I swear the second you put me on solid earth, you are done Sparkles. You're so dead." **

"**Don't worry Toph," Zuko whispered so only she could hear as he reached the edge of the water. "I know you can't swim. I'll keep hold of you. Alright?" **

**She nodded, settling down a bit. "Promise?" **

"**I promise," he assured her with a soft kiss. "Never letting you go," he laughed. **

Short and cheesy but tell me what you think anyway.


	3. Hair Piece

**So here is day three, Hair Piece. **

It had been a year since Fire Lord Zuko had passed away and Fire Lady Toph had finally reached a point where she could go through the old box of her memories. There were no pictures. She couldn't see the pictures. They were pointless. Only objects. Objects that reminded her of their times together. The widowed Fire Lady pulled out the object on top and smiled a sad, tear filled smile. It was a lotus hair piece that Zuko had given her on their wedding day. She brushed her fingers over the cold metal petals as she thought back to that day so many years ago.

"_I have something for you," Zuko whispered in the early hours of the morning. The sun was just beginning the rise and the two were tucked in between the silk sheets. Toph snuggled comfortably into her fiancé's chest enjoying the heat his body presented, knowing that at any moment the bridesmaid's could come banging on the door demanding that Toph be released to them so that they could start the long and tedious job of getting the bride prepared for the traditional wedding. _

"_Does it require us getting up?" Toph asked, traces of sleep still evident in her voice. _

"_Not at all," he chuckled, unraveling his arms from her to reach the drawer of the night stand. _

"_That's not okay either," Toph frowned. _

_Zuko chuckled again, turning back around and sitting in an upright position, pulling Toph onto his lap. He placed a small, silk wrapped package in her hands. "For you," he whispered kissing her neck. _

_Toph lifted the corner of the cloth and pulled it back, repeating the process until the contents was revealed. She picked up the hair piece gently, tracing her fingers over every inch of it, memorizing the shape. "A lotus?" she asked, just to be sure. _

"_Yes," he nodded. _

"_Would you understand what I meant if I said it was beautiful?" she laughed softly. _

"_I'm glad you think so," he smiled. "I wanted something to represent our marriage that you could wear…if you wanted that is. Like the water tribe people have their necklaces." _

"_Of course I want to wear it," she smiled, handing him the clip and sitting up straighter. "Will you?"_

_He took the clip and pulled her long dark hair back, twisting it into a bun before clipping it in place with the lotus. He kissed her temples. "I love you." _

_She turned in his lap to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I love you too. I should probably get going though. The sun is completely risen which means Katara will be waking soon." _

"_I'll see you in a few hours," he told her with another kiss. He pulled her back, so they fall against the pillows and flipped their positions so he was hovering over her. _

"_Zuko," she laughed. "I have to go." _

"_I don't want you too. I promised all those years ago that I would never let you go and I'm a man of my word after all," he said kissing his way along the girl's skin. _

"_You also said that you would marry me. Now if you want that to ha-" she was silenced as Zuko kissed her deeply. _

"_Cheat," she accused once he pulled away and began kissing her neck. "Zu, stop that tickles." _

_Zuko smirked, before tickling the earthbender's side. She let out a squeal and begged, "Zuzu please, stop." _

"_No, I don't think I will." _

"_Remember Zuko, I can bend metal. The bed is metal. Stop tickling me!" she threatened, or tried to her tone wasn't nearly as scary as it usually was due to the fact that it was in between squeals and laughter. _

"_Fine," he sighed, leaning down and kissing her final time before rolling off of her. "I'll let you go get ready." _

"_I never thought I would want to get married, but I am. I'm glad it's you," she told him just as there was a soft knock on the door. _

"_Toph," Katara called hesitantly, not wanting to wake the two if they were still asleep. _

"_Come on in Sugar Queen," Toph told her. _

"_You need to get ready." _

"_I know. I was just trying to tell the Fire Lord that. You know how those firebenders are," she laughed. "All touchy feely all the time." _

"_You sure it was him," Katara laughed. _

"_This time…yes actually, it was." _

"_Well come on, Suki's getting everything ready." _

"_See you later," Toph smiled to Zuko. _

Toph pulled the headband out of her hair and twisted her now gray hair into a bun and clipped it back with the lotus, wiping the tears from her eyes before going out to feed the turtle ducks.

**So there we have it. As always, I would love to hear what you think. **

**Love, **

**Spike. **


	4. Boat

**Here we have Day 4 also known as BOAT. I had fun writing the first half of this one. I love torturing our favorite little Earthbender. Thanks to all that have reviewed, or added to your favorites or alert lists. **

"Please remind me again when we are on a _wooden _boat," Toph grumbled, throwing a glare at the older teen.

"You said you wanted a field trip," Zuko chuckled.

"I don't see how being on a boad is a life changing experience. Are you trying to make me really feel blind?" she asked then added as an afterthought. "_And _seasick?"

"I tried to get a metal boat but it cost too much. Katara said we have to safe up our funds right now and Aang was using Appa for something. He wouldn't tell me but Katara was blushing for some reason. So he's probably taking her off somewhere. And who's to say this won't be a life changing experience? You don't even know where we are going yet."

"You just wanted to take me out of my comfort zone, didn't you?"

"Of course not," he smirked.

"You weren't even trying to cover up that one," she sighed, leaning back against the side. "Just remember you are messing with the greatest Earthbender and only Metalbender in the world."

"Don't think about the rocking of the boat. Focus on something else," Zuko suggested as he continued to row the canoe like boat.

"Like what," she inquired. "It's only me and you in the small ass boat Zuko. So what, might I ask, do you intent I focus on?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I hadn't thought of that. Wait…come here," he told her.

"What?" she asked confused.

"Come here. You can help me row."

Toph looked at him, well his general area, as if he were an idiot for a moment before sighing and carefully make her way over so she could sit in front of him. Zuko pulled her closer, so she was practically on his lap and placed her hands under his on the oars. The close contact brought a slight brush to her cheeks and the younger girl was glad that she was in front of him so that Zuko could not see her. The others in their little group were still under the impression that the Earthbender liked Sokka. However, for sometime the thirteen year old had found herself being more and more attracted to the Firebender as the two talked over the fire after the others had gone to bed.

"We're about three minutes out," Zuko informed her as he moved their arms round and round.

Finally, they made it to the shore and Zuko hopped out first before helping out Toph.

"Oh great…sand. You really are trying to make me hate you," she groaned.

'_Quite the opposite actually,' _he thought to himself. "Come on, Shorty, you'll be on really rocks soon enough."

"Don't call me Shorty."

"Hey, if you're allowed to call me Sparky, Hot Head, Princess, and _Sparkles _then surely I'm allowed to call you Shorty."

"Fine," she sighed then grinned as her feet found the hard ground. She was instantly able to 'see' her surroundings. There was a fire pit already set up and a small smile of fruit and something, which she could only assume was meat, hanging over the pit.

"Are we camping out? My field trip is a camp out?"

"It was either this or visiting your parents. Which I know you want to do eventually but aren't ready for that yet so camping it is. Besides, everyone needs a break from Katara everyone once in a while."

"Is there meat?" she asked. Zuko merely laughed with a nod. "Alright then," she said making her way over to the logs.

"So, what's the topic for tonight?" Toph asked grabbing a an apple off the pile before sitting on the ground, her back leaning against the log.

"Your turn to pick," he said sitting down next to her, grabbing a star fruit.

"What is the real reason that you brought me here? I'm not buying that whole field trip bullshit."

"I wanted to get away from the rest for a while. They're all so happy go lucky and perky all the time. How do you put up with it?" he asked.

"Easy, you just occasionally stir things up. Wake up early and rock the earth a bit. Makes them wake up cranky. Act immature, it drives Katara insane. Steal Sokka's meat. Beat the crap out of Aang. It works miracles," she smirked.

"They would kill me if I did things like that. I would be kicked out of the gang for sure and then Aang wouldn't have a firebending teacher and my fat- Ozai would win. I can't let that happen," he told her, starting the fire in front of her.

"That's understandable. I guess we could go on more field trips whenever you need a break," she offered.

"I would like that," Zuko smiled.

"Hey Zu," she told him hesitantly. "I have something I kind of want to talk about."

"What's that?"

"What ever happened between you and Mei? I mean, I know you were dating and all that before you joined up with us, but do you still consider yourself to be going out with her?"

Zuko pondered this for a moment as he turned their meal over the fire. "A few weeks of go, I would have said yes in heartbeat. Now, though, I don't think we would work out so much anymore. She's so emotionless and for a while that was fine with me. We fit. After being with you guys, I don't think I would be able to have that same type relationship. Why do you ask?"

"I just- well I don't like Sokka," she said, realizing after she announced it how stupid it sounded. She mentally kicked herself. She was Toph Bei Fong. She never had issues like that.

"Well that's good to know," he laughed. "I mean, Sokka is a great guy and an even better inventor and warrior but you would probably walk all over him. Sokka needs to be able to feel manly and I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't get that feeling if were with you. You need someone that doesn't care that you are blind. Some that understands you. Even though you pretend that you don't care about your parent's feelings, I know you do. So you will marry, if you marry, someone of noble blood. But you will only do that if you love him. You don't care if you marry though. You will find a way to honor your family another way."

"Wow," Toph said amazed. "How do you know me all that well?"

"I talk to you every night, Toph. I would be a horrible friend if I didn't know that after that long," he laughed, handing her a plate of meat with some bread. "Careful, it is hot."

"Thanks." She took her first bite and smiled. "This is really good. I think you need to start cooking more instead of Sugar Queen."

"Thanks, but I think Katara would kill me if I did that."

The two spent the most of the rest of the meal in silence. The only sounds were the waves crashing in the distance and the sounds off the animals in the forest around them.

"Zuko," Toph whispered breaking the silence once she was done. "You know, you kind of fit all of those things."

Zuko looked over at the tiny girl with a smile. "I do, don't I?"

"So was this trip to get away from everyone else or to get away just the two of us?"

He took her plate from her and placed both of theirs on the ground next to him. "What do you think?" he asked leaning across to kiss her. Toph smiled into his lips, as her eyes fluttered closed.

"I knew it," she sighed once he pulled away. "You just wanted to get away from the rest of them."

Zuko laughed before kissing her again.

**Tell me what you think. Also, does it seem that they are a bit out of character or is that just me?**

**Love, **

**Spike. **


	5. Darkness

**So I was able to finish this one at 11:56. Just barely finished it on the correct day but I did. So yeah. Today's is DARKNESS. **

Ursa ran into her parent's room as another boom of thunder echoed through the castle.

"Daddy," she whimpered, tugging on the Fire Lord's sleeve.

"Hmm," he mumbled, rolling on his other side, wrapping his arms around his wife.

Another boom and Ursa ran to the other side of the bed, tugging on her mother's gown. "Mommy," she cried.

Toph blinked a couple of times, before realizing the distress in her daughter. She sat up quickly.  
"What's wrong dear?" she asked. "Is it the storm?"

The five year old nodded, and her eyes grew wide as the thunder crashed again. "And the wind blew out my lantern. It's dark in my room."

"Do you want to sleep with us tonight?"

"Yes please," Ursa nodded, crawling up onto her parent's bed.

"Zuko," Toph whispered, rubbing her hands gently over her husband's arm.

He grumbled something incoherent before rubbing his eyes. "What is it?" he asked grudgingly.  
"Ursa's light went out and the storm is scaring her. She wants to sleep with us."

Toph lifted her daughter and placed her in between them. "That better?" she smiled.

The girl nodded as her father kissed her forehead. "Nothing to fear, Princess."

"I don't like the dark," she whimpered snuggling into her parents.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," Zuko told her.

"But you aren't afraid of the dark and neither is Mommy."

"Mommy was born into dark though so I don't know anything else," Toph assured her. "And Daddy wasn't always the bravest when it came to the dark. I remember one time when we were younger and he about had a panic attack when he was stuck in the dark."  
"Really?" Ursa asked, intrigued by the though. She sat up a bit, knowing a story was coming.

"Do we really have to tell her that?" Zuko asked with a sigh.

"Of course," Toph smirked. "So he was probably eighteen at the time and your Aunt Ty Lee was teaching me a few tricks. Pressure points, that type thing. Your father challenged me that day, like he did every day."

"That's when he was trying to ask you out wasn't it?" the young girl asked. "He told me that story and how he wouldn't ask you out until he beat you in a bending match."

"That's right," Toph smiled. She remembered the day that he had actually beat her. She was shocked that he had managed to pin her down and even more so when his lips came crashing down on hers. "I'm still convinced that he cheated."

"No, dear, how many times do I have to tell you I didn't cheat?"  
"Anyway," Toph said, changing the subject and turning back to her daughter and causing the Fire Lord to chuckle. "As I said, I had learned a few new tricks from Ty Lee and was eager to test them out. So I did. I managed to block out your father's bending and as he was chasing me to try to do Gods know what as payback, I trapped him in one of the rooms. It was windy that day and dark due to the upcoming storm. The room was, according to him, pitch black. He was locked in and as much as he likes to claim that he was perfectly fine, I could hear his heartbeat increase drastically. I could practically smell the fear on him."

"Did you not let him out?" Ursa asked.

"Oh I did…" Toph laughed. "About an hour later."

Ursa couldn't restrain her giggles anymore.

"You think that's funny?" Zuko asked, tickling the little girl.

"Stop Daddy," she laughed. "Mommy help!"

"Alright you two. Let's get some sleep. The gang will be arriving tomorrow so we need to get up nice and early to prepare," Toph told them, saving her daughter from any more tickling.

"You mean Ursa and I will have to get up early while you sleep until noon?" Zuko teased.

"Exactly," Toph smirked, leaning over to kiss him. "Good night. I love you."

"Goodnight Mommy. Goodnight Daddy," Ursa giggled giving each of them on a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"Good night, my girls," Zuko smiled, taking Toph's hand and kissing Ursa's forhead.

**If it seems like it was kind of rushed. It was…**

**Love, **

**Spike. **


	6. Heat

**So we are now presented with Day Five which is HEAT. So here it goes…**

To Toph, the worst part of being pregnant was not the pain or the random cravings. She could take the pain and being the Fire Lady definitely had it perks. The palace cooks could pretty much whip up anything she wanted. It wasn't the fact that everyone wanted to touch her stomach. People only had to come towards her once with their hands out stretched before they learned their lesson. A swift shift of her foot and they were sent flying the other direction, generally into walls. No, the worst part of being pregnant was the heat. It was nearly too much for her. She had no idea how the firebenders did it.

"Zuko, I hate you," Toph told him as they relaxed by the pond. Her head was rested on his lap and she had her feet soaking in the water as two maids were fanning. Yet it neither did nothing to cool her.

"I'm sorry," he said brushing back the bangs that covered face.

"It's all your fault," she told him.

"Well, really, you did have a part in it too," he chuckled. He regretted it when a small pebble came up and flicked him in the forehead.

"No, it is your fault that the little demon is a firebender. Earthbender babies do not torture their mother with insane heat. It's like I'm slowly burning from the inside out."

"Our baby is not a demon and the healers said all mothers feel an increase in heat. However, we could always visit Katara and Aang at the South Pole for a while if you would like. I'm sure you wouldn't be quite as hot there," he offered.

"That would require getting on a boat. I get sea sick in general. We do not need to add that to morning sickness."

"We could take a balloon."

Toph pondered this for a moment. "How soon can we leave?" she asked.

"I've had a balloon set up for a week. I figured if you started complaining for too much longer I was going to force you to go whether you wanted to or not. We just have to wait for Uncle to return so I can inform him of our plans."

"I never thought I would be looking forward to going to the ice bucket," she thought out loud.

"On the plus side, if you go into labor Katara will be right there. You were worried that she wouldn't be able to get here quick enough," Zuko told her.

"I won't be able to see a thing though," she sighed.

"I'll help you. I'm sure you'll find some way to feel the vibrations within a week or so of being there."

"Has a royal baby ever been born in a different region in Fire Nation history?" she asked after a moment.

"Not that I know of."

Toph smiled. "Yet another thing I will be the first to do."

"Take take pride in that don't you?" he chuckled.

"Of course," she smirked. Her smirk turned into a yawn.

"Come on let's get you to bed. You need your sleep," Zuko said helping her up. "The servants have already opened all the windows."

"Alright," she yawned again, standing up.

Zuko helped his wife wobble back into the palace. He had to suppress a laugh at the sight unless he wanted a punch in the arm that would most likely leave a bruise.

**Not my favorite that I've done so far but oh well. I suppose it's decent, yeah? Well only one left. Up next is Scars. **

**Oh and I totally just noticed that I hadn't made any disclaimers so here they are. I DO NOT OWN AVATAR! There we go, so sorry about that. **


	7. Scars

**And now we come to the end of Toko Week. So sad. The final chapter is SCARS. I realized I hadn't done one if first person yet so I gave it a go. I haven't written in first person in a while so I hope it turns out alright. But surely you'll let me know, yeah? **

**I do not, nor have I ever, own Avatar the Last Airbender. So there, you can't sue me. **

Zuko brushed his hands over my skin, searching for scars. A game that we had started two nights earlier and were still continuing. Being benders can definitely have a down side sometimes, not that I mind the scars and I don't think Zuko minds them that much. Well aside from the one on his face, but I don't bring that one up. I've heard the story plenty of times, I really don't need to hear it again. I like the story of the by the one practically hidden by his hair line more. It was the first time he had gone fishing and managed to get the hook stuck in his forehead. Only slightly less impressive than the whole incident with Sokka getting _two _fish hooks stuck in his thumb. I'm sure you've heard the story. We all have.

"What about this one?" he asked, circling his thumb over a three inch slightly curved scar on my inner thigh. It tickled a bit but I was careful not to let it show. If Zuko found it he would surely use it against me.

"That was the first time I ever earthbended," I smiled, remembering the first time I ever had control over the solid earth. "The badger-moles were my teachers. I lost control of the earth and it cut me. My mother panicked when I came home, my dress covered in blood. I told her I tripped in the garden and thankfully she believed me. She did double the amount of guards in the garden that were meant to watch me. Guards can be bribed though. The sick bastards have no loyalty. All it took was a couple bottles of sake and a deck of cards. I told them if they didn't tell my mother or father that I was sneaking off then I would let them gamble every time I left."

I glided my hand over his bare stomach, stopping as I felt a slightly raised area. "Here?" I asked.

"Ah, practicing with Azula. She always was a better firebender than I was." His voice falls and I can tell he is going back into his little pity corner. It's true I like to belittle him with my little jabs here and there about his manliness or strength but it's all good fun. When he says stuff like that there is no ounce of humor in his words and as much as I hate to admit, it hurts me when he does say things like that. Though you will never hear my say this out loud, Zuko was an excellent firebender. When he tries, he was even better than Azula. Yet because he had to work for it and his crack head sister comes across it naturally, he seems to think that it makes her better. He really doesn't give himself credit. I tell him that and he sighs, "You have to say that Toph. You're my wife."

"Don't pull that card. I don't _have _to say anything Princess. I mean it Zuzu. You keep kicking yourself down like that and _I'll _kick you down. Now continue your story," I tell him, snuggling into his chest.

He smirked with a soft chuckle and his hands find their way to my hair, most likely absentmindedly. "Thanks," he mumbles before continuing. "Anyway, it was just a simple practice. She had learned a new stance and I was still trying to perfect the one from the previous practice. I wasn't paying much attention to her as I tried to get my footing right. She fired. I didn't notice and it hit me right in the stomach. The healers had me fixed up in no time but Mother was furious. Azula was grounded. Mom had said that Azula knew I wasn't ready it was unfair to take advantage of me like that. Azula was always getting grounded for things like that. I think that's one of the reasons she hates me so much. Mother never seemed to approve of what she did, yet I couldn't do any wrong in her eyes. With Ozai it was the exact opposite."

I nodded and his hand slid down to my neck where it landed on a small scar that was just barely raised. I'm sure if didn't already know it was there, he hand would have slipped on by it, never noticing it at all. I could tell he was frowning because he knew what caused it. "Mai?" he asked, to which I nodded. It was right when the two of us has started dating, Mai was in the palace and walked in on us in a somewhat suspicious situation. She was furious seeing as the two had only just broken up and well, the girl may seem like she doesn't show emotion, but believe me, she has anger down to a key. She always has daggers on her and threw one, slicing a shallow cut on the back of the neck. Zuko had panicked, realizing how if she had thrown just a little bit harder, how much damage it could have caused. Needless to say he was outraged and Mai was sent away from the castle for a while. To this day I'm still not entirely sure where she went or if was an official banish. The two of us are now on speaking terms and occasionally will get together to pick fun at Zuko if there is nothing better to do.

"My turn," I told him.

"No, you didn't tell me the story. I already know it," he protested.

"But you still found a scar, besides I think you've found all of mine anyway."

"Fine," he sighed and I found my way to a scar on his arm.

He chuckled to himself. "That is from a table."

"Oh please do explain how you managed to run into a table hard enough to leave a scar," I asked, not even bothering to cover up my laugh.

"Well, I fell off the banister to the stairs and onto the table. I was trying to slide down it. I had seen one of the eartherbender children do it and it looked fun so I tried it. I fell off the banister and onto the little table that is near the stairs, or well the first little table that was by the stairs. It had to be replaced."

"Did you smash it?"

"Yes."

I laughed, sinking back into the welcoming warmth of his body.

"Time for bed?" he asked knowing my habits. I did this every night. We would talk about something or another and then when I was ready to sleep, I curl into him. If he keeps going on, I either just drift to sleep not really paying attention or punch him if that doesn't work.

I answer him by snuggling in a little closer and kissing him goodnight with an "I love you."

"Good night, love," he kissed me on the forehead before wrapping his arms around me. As much as I put up a rough and tough kind of demeanor, I kind of love the moments I have with Zuko like this. In public we aren't so touchy feely like other couples. It more like we treat each other when we were kids. Bickering and taunting. Only now it's older. We've learned better insults and know each other's weaknesses and neither one of us are afraid to use them. But here, after the servants have gone for the night and the lanterns have been blown out, I can be just with him.

**Goodbye Toko Week you are finally over. Thanks for reading! **

**Love, **

**Spike. **


End file.
